QUINCY - Quincy Catholic Charities, Quincy Medical Group and Blessing Hospital are teaming up for the eighth annual Bridge the Gap to Health Run/Walk on Saturday, April 12, at Clatt Adams Park, starting at 9 a.m. The run/walk starts at the Quincy Riverfront and crosses the Bayview Bridge to Missouri and back.

The event features  both 5K and 10K certified courses and a half-marathon for runners; a 5K walk with competitive and leisure categories; and a race expo. All proceeds go to the Quincy CC MedAssist Program, which focuses on leveraging free prescription medications from pharmaceutical companies for patients who suffer from chronic medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

Patti Dillon, former U.S. record holder simultaneously in the 5-mile, 10K, 15K, 10-mile, 20K, half marathon, 30K and marathon, will be a keynote speaker at the Health and Fitness Expo, which will be held at the Country Inn & Suites from 3 to 9 p.m. Vendors will be on hand sharing health- and fitness-related materials to all participants and the public.

To register for any of the race categories, stop by Quincy Catholic Charities, 620 Maine St., to pick up an application, register online, or print out a registration form at the Web site.

Bridge the Gap will also have a Mercantile Children's Fun Run at 11 a.m. the day of the race.

Since January 2000, the race has raised more than $173,000 for MedAssist, which in turn assisted more than 2,200 patients in securing more than 20,800 prescriptions worth an estimated $4.8 million.

Sponsors for this year's race include Blue Cross Blue Shield, Gardner Denver, Knapheide Manufacturing, DOT Foods, Quincy Family Practice, Adams County Medical Society, WGEM and the Quincy Herald-Whig.

For more information, go to www.bridgethegaptohealth.com or contact race director Debbie Fitzgerald at (217) 257-8028 or e-mail her at .